speciality polymers are the class of some high perfomance polymers ,including plastic,polymers,fluids,membranes,smart hydrogels,and elastomers that are designed to meet the critical requirement that engineers face everyday in key industries including plastic, automobiles, aeronautics, smart devices, health care, pharmacy, energy production and storage. this article is a short but diversified study of post grad. students in the area of speciality polymers, the types and applications in engineering, technology ,life sciences and research. it include diverce applications of iconic polymer metal composites liquid crystal polymers ,synthetic polymer membranes, smart hydrogels, and dendritic polymers.

1. SPECIALITY POLYMERS
CHITOSAN

3. CHITIN; A BRIEF HISTORY
⚫ 1811 Chitin was first discovered by Professor Henri Braconnot, who isolated it from mushrooms and name it
"Fungine".
1823 Antoine Odier found chitin while studying beetle cuticles and named "chitin" after Greek word "chiton" (tunic,
envelope).
1859 Rought discovered chitosan, a derivative of chitin.
⚫ 1920s Production of chitin fibers from different solvent systems.
1930s Exploration of synthetic fibers.
1950s The structure of chitin and chitosan was identified by X-ray diffraction, infrared spectra, and enzymatic analysis.
1970s "Re-discovery" of the interest in chitin and chitosan.
⚫ 1977 1 international conference on chitin/chitosan

4. WHAT IS CHITIN?
Chitin is a natural polysaccharide.Structure similar to cellulose with hydroxyl group
replaced by acetamino group.N-acetyl-glucosamine units in B-(1-4) linkage. Found
in the exoskeleton as well as in the internal structure of shells of shrimp .and
crustaceans.. Chitin has 3 polymorphic form:a-chitin, B-chitin, y-chitin

5. Chitosan
Chitosan a biopolymer derived from crab shells which is insoluble in common organic
solvents has been converted to the organo soluble N-phthaloylchitosan (Phch)by reaction
with phthalic anhydride to dimethyl formide (DMF) Chitin is a highly abundant carbohydrate
polymer occuring primarily in crab shells. Chitosan has been shown to help plant's absorb
fertilisers better, releasing nitrogen and acting as a biostimulant for the crop, leading to
increased yields. Coastal gardener's have long known about the benefits of mixing
crustaceans shells with leaves, bark and other mulch to make fertilisers. Crab shells were used
to produce chitosan via the three stages of deprotenisation, deminiralisation and
deacetylation using sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid. Chitosan have several beneficial
property such as bio compatibility, bio degradability, hydrophilicity and anti bacterial. The %
of chitin present in crab shell is 15-30%. Specialty polymer provide fast track customized
solutions from high flow specialised formulations for small complex geometry to replacing
metal in structural components where strength rigidity and aesthetic are important.

6. PREPERATION OF CHITOSAN
• Produced commercially by deacetylation of chitin.
• The degree of deacetylation (%DD) can be determined by NMR spectroscopy.the
%DD in commercial chitosan ranges from 60 to 100%.

7. PROPERTIES OF CHITOSAN
• Unique characteristics of chitin and chitosan:
Biocompatible
Biodegradable
Non-toxicRemarkable affinity to proteins
Ability to be functionalized
Renewable
Abundant
Antimicrobial properties
Mechanism still unknown hypotheses:-
binding to cell-wall phospholipids of Gram-negative bacteriamodification of cell-wall permeability and loss of
material
inhibition of certain enzyme

8. WATER BINDING CAPACITY-MEASURED
• using a modified method of Knorr.It carried out by weighing a centrifuge tube
containing 0.5 g of sample, adding 10 ml of water and mix it on a vortex mixer for
1 min.. Contents were left at ambient temperature (29°C) for 30 min. After the
supernatant was decanted, the tube was weighed again.

9. FAT BINDING CAPACITY-
• . It also measured by using a modified method of Knorr.⚫ Carried out by
weighing a centrifuge tube containing 0.5 g of sample, adding 10 mlof oil
(soybean oil) and mixing on a vortex mixer for 1 min. The contents were left at
ambient temperature for 30 min. After the supernatantdecanted, the tube was
weighed again

10. VISCOSITY-
• • The viscosity of chitosan increases with increasing chitosan concentration,
decreasing temperature, and increasing degree of deacetylation

11. MOISTURE CONTENT AND SOLUBILITY
• .It absorbs moisture from atmosphere.Particle size distribution: <30 mm ⚫ determined by the
gravimetric method
• Solubility-
• Sparingly soluble in water.
• • Practically insoluble in ethanol and other organic solvents.
• Solubility is affected by degree of deacetylation.
• PH: 4.0-6.0
• Density: 1.35-1.40 g/cm³
• Glass transition temperature: 203°

12. REACTIVE MOIETIES OF CHITOSAN-
• OH: esterification, etherification, oxidation, elimination, protection reactions.
• NH2: amidation, reduction, mono-, di- and trialkylation (electrophile subsitution),
protection reactions.

15. BIOMEDICAL APPLICATIONS
Wound DressingWound dressings are used to protect
wound skin form insult, contamination and infection
Chitin-based wound dressings
-Increase dermal regeneration
- Accelerate wound healing
- Prevent bacteria infiltration
- Avoid water loss
⚫ Chitin surgical threads
- strong, flexible, decompose after the heals
Anticoagulation
Anticoagulation is essential for open- heart surgery and
kidney dialysis
Preventing blood from clotting during the surgery
Sulfated chitosan derivatives havegood anticoagulant
activity

16. BIOMEDICAL APPLICATIONS
• Tissue Engineering
• Tissue engineering research is based on the
seeding of cells onto porous biodegradable
matrix
• Chitosan can be prepared in porous forms
permitting cell growth into complete tissue
• Orthopedic Applications
• Bone is a composite of soft collagenand
hard hydroxyapatite (HA)
• Chitin-based materials are suitable
candidate for collagen replacement (chitin-
HA composite)
• Mechanically flexible, enhanced bone
formation
• Temporary artificial ligaments for the knee
joint

17. DRUG DELIVERY
Hydrogels
Hydrogels are highly swollen, hydrophilic
polymer networks that can absorb large
amounts of water
pH-sensitive hydrogels have potential
use in site- specific drug delivery to
gastrointestinal tract (GI)
Chitosan hydrogels are promising in drug
deliverysystem
• Microcapsules-
• Microcapsule is defined as a spherical
empty particle with size varying from50
nm to 2 mm
• Chitosan-based microcapsules
aresuitable for controlled drug release.

18. BIOTECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS
• Enzyme immobilization
• Specific, efficient, operate at mild conditions
• Unstable, sensitive after isolation and
purification
• Chitin and chitosan-based materials are
suitableenzyme immobilizers-
Biocompatible- Biodegradable-High affinity
to protein -Reactive functional group
Gene Delivery
• Viral gene delivery/Non-Viral gene
delivery
• Viral: high transfection efficiency,
dangerous
• Non-Viral: low transfection efficiency,
safer
• Chitosan-DNA complexes can be
optimized to enhance the transfection
efficiency